Les Bleus triumph in Moscow rain after classic World Cup Final

Under stormy skies in Moscow, France won their second World Cup title after defeating first-time finalists Croatia 4-2 in the highest scoring final in 42 years.

France faced Croatia in the 21st World Cup Final in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.
Picture: Getty Images

After a bright start by Croatia, France struck against the run of play when Antoine Griezmann won and took a free kick in the 18th minute. Mario Mandžukić, the hero of their semi-final victory over England, flicked the driven right-wing free kick beyond his own keeper Danijel Subašić.

Having gone behind in every knockout match, it was no surprise when they responded ten minutes later as Ivan Perišić rocketed home a left foot volley from the edge of the area after the French defence missed three opportunities to head clear a Croatia free kick. Yet Perišić was then guilty of conceding a penalty in the 37th minute when he was adjudged to have blocked Kanté’s header with his hand from a right-wing French corner.

After initially missing the incident, referee Nestor Pitana required the assistance of VAR to award France the spot kick and Griezmann stepped up to side-foot home the penalty.

Croatia began strongly in the second half with Brozović forcing Lloris to tip over a rising drive. Yet the match swung decisively in France’s favour thanks to the third youngest player to ever play in a World Cup final, Kylian Mbappé. The teenager first roared down the right pulling the ball back for Griezmann who teed up Paul Pogba who scored at the second attempt from the edge of the area. Then, fed from the left, Mbappé brilliantly used Vida as a shield to drive the ball past Subašić at his near post.

Kylian Mbappé became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pelé Picture: Getty Images

French captain then gifted Croatia another goal when he foolishly tried to outwit Mandžukić, chasing down a back pass allowing the striker the unique distinction of scoring at both ends in a World Cup final.

So, 20 years and three days from lifting the World Cup as French captain on home soil, Didier Deschamps once more led the country who created the tournament to ultimate glory, this time as manager of Les Bleus, joining Franz Beckenbauer as the only man to achieve this unbelievable feat.